The Barnson team is excited to be partnering with Dubbo City Council to develop an international-standard athletics facility, which will be the biggest of its kind west of the Blue Mountains.

Barnson won the tender to design the $5.3 million Barden Park Regional Centre of Excellence for Athletics in north Dubbo. Dubbo Mayor Mathew Dickerson said the results of an independent study suggested the facility would boost participation in sport across the region, create almost 40 full-time jobs and contribute $4.5 million in gross regional product.

The project received $3.5 million from the Regional Development Australia Fund and will include a 400-metre synthetic running track and field event surfaces, a 600-seat grandstand with undercover seating, training and administration rooms, change rooms, storage facilities, a solar power system, ground fencing and car parking.

Construction is expected to begin early in 2014 and, when completed, the Barden Park Athletics Centre is expected to provide the opportunity for Dubbo to host more regional and national-standard events. It is also expected to provide greater educational opportunities for sport-based vocational studies and bring a new focus on health and fitness for Dubbo residents.

Since March this year, Barnson has been working on the architectural design of the grandstand, while working with Arup to develop the master plan of the whole facility, including the track and field layout and preliminary structural and civil designs.

Barnson’s Industrial Designer, Kirk Gleeson said the aim of the project is to create a facility that caters for NSW Country Championships competitions and national-level masters athletics events. At the same, the facility has to provide undercover spectator seating and all-weather synthetic track and field surfaces that meeting International Association of Athletics Federation standards.

“The biggest challenge of the project so far has been keeping track of the budget,” Kirk said. “The focus of the funding has always been to provide Dubbo with a facility capable of holding major athletic events, so the track and field design has taken priority.

“We have had to adjust the size and style of the grandstand facility to fit in with the cost of meeting international athletics standards for the track and field surfaces, while also being a facility that meets the needs of Athletics NSW to hold provincial and national standard competitions.

“This includes a multi-purpose space for training and administration, as well as bunk style accommodation, a modern canteen that complies with today’s standards, plus change rooms, amenities and a secure storage area.”